William thomas smith



2 H T I S T STEREOTYPE PLATE AND BLOCK 0R BED FOR. THE SAME.

Patented Feb. 9, 1886.. 1'

Fig-3 INYVENTOR: Wag. J4; 1M 24 WITNESSES:

By his Attorneys, Jaw

graphar, Wallinglml. n. c.

N. PETERS PhomLiIhn (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2..

W. T. SMITH.

STEREOTYPE PLATE AND BLOCK 0R BED FOR THE SAME. No. 336,022.. PatentedFeb. 9, 1886.

Fig. E1.

- INVENTOR: WITNESSES:

By his Abtm'neys,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM THOMAS SHITH, OF LONDQN, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO HERMON LEEENSIGN, OF NE\V YORK, N. Y.

STEREOTYPE-PLATE AND BLOCK OR BED FOR THE SAME.

SJ'ECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 336,022, datedFebruary 9, 1886.

Application filed July 29, 11 85. Serial No. 172,949.

To (LZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM THOMAS SMITH, a subject of the Queen ofGreat Britain, and a residentofLondon,England,have invent ed certain newand useful Improvements in Stereo typePlatcs and in Blocks or Beds forthe Same,

(for which I have been granted Letters Patent of Great Britain, No.4,321, dated October 23, 1879,) of which the following is aspecification.

My invention has reference to stereotypeplates mainly for use innewspapers, which are cast or made separately from their blocks or bedsupon which they rest when in the chase and locked up in the form for thepurpose of being printed from. The object is to enable thestereotype-plate to be readily placed in position on the block after thelatter has been placed in the form between the column-rules, leads,reglets, or furniture; and when the form has been locked up the platewill be firmly secured in position on the block, so that it cannot fallout of the form.

The operation of locking up the form also serves to draw down the plateto its block, so that it will rest snugly and firmly thereon.

I-Ieretofore it has been proposed to secure a stereotype-plate to itsblock or base in such a manner that it may be readily removed therefrom,and various means have been employed to effect this, notably by forminga dovetail on the plate to take into a groove in the block. Thisconstruction I do not claim, nor will it effect the object I seek toattain.

In carrying out my invention I form the surface of the block of twoplanes, usually parallel, and join these planes by a shoulder, which 4the blocks after the blocks and column-rules are set in position, butbefore the locking of the form.

In the drawings which serve to illustrate my invention, Figure l is anedge or side view (No model.) Patented in England October 23, 1879, No.4,321.

of a stereotype-plate constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 is asimilar new of a block to receive the plate constructed accord ing to myinvention.- Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the plate and block fittedtogether. Fig. a is a plan of the plate. Fig. 5 is a perspective viewdesigned to illustrate the position of the blocks in the column andillustrating a block made up of several parts. Fig. 6 is a viewillustrating the mode of placing the plate on the block after the latteris set between the column-rules and before the form is locked up. Fig. 7is the same as Fig. 3, but showing also the position of the column-ruleswith respect to the block and plate when the form is locked up. Thecolumn-rules prevent any lateral movement of the plate, and thus preventit from being detached from the block. The pressure of the column-ruleon the righthand side of the plate serves also to draw the plate downfirmly upon the block.

a represents the stereotype-plate, the under surface of which iscomposed of two planes, and 1) represents the undercut shoulder whichjoins these two plane surfaces.

d represents the block or bed on which plate a is to be mount. (1. Theupper surface of this block is composed of two planes, and o is theundercut shoulder joining these two planes.

\Vhen the plates are put together, as in Fig. 6 and as seen completed inFigs. 3 and 7, the shoulders I) and c on the plate and block engage andfit each other, and the plate rests firmly on the block.

It may sometimes be convenient to divide the block at its middle,lengthwise of the column, as indicated by the dotted line gin Figs. 2and 3, and it may also be convenient to make up the block of severalparts, as indicated in Fig. 5.

Referring to Fig. 6, it will be seen that the form may be made up ofcolumn-rules e and blocks d, and then, beforelocking up, the plates maybe mounted on the blocks by presenting them to the blocks, as indicated,so as to engage the shoulders I) and c, and then pressing them down toplace. By this construction and method the plates may be placed when thecolumn-rules stand quite close to the block.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. As an improved article ofmanufacture,

' a stereotype-p1ate, (1, having an undercut retaining-shoulder, b,formed on its under side, substantially as shown, whereby it may beplaced on the block after the latter has been placed between the coluInn-rules, substantially as set forth.

2. As an improved article of manufacture, a block, d, to receive astereotype-plate having an undercut retaining-shoulder, 0, formed on itsupper face, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. As an improved. article of manufacture, a stereotype-plate, a, havinga single underout retaining-shoulder, b, formed on its under side, theplane of which shoulder extends crosswise of the lines of type on theface of the plate,

substantially as set forth.

4. As an improved article of manufacture, a block, d, forastereotype-plate having formed on its upper surface a single undercutretaining-shoulder,r, the pa..e of which extends lengthwise of thecolumn, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of the block 01, having formed on its upper side asingle undercut retaining-shoulder, c, and a stereotype-plate, at,

having formed on its under side a single undercut retaining-shoulder, b,and the under side of the plate a constructed to fit and conform to theupper side of the block d, substantially as set forth.

6. As an improved article of manufacture, a stereotype-plate, at, havingits under side formed of two parallel planes joined together by ashoulder, 19, which forms with said planes angles less than rightangles, substantially as described, the plane of said shoulder extendingcrosswise of the lines of type on the face of the plate, substantiallyas described.

7. As an improved article of manufacture, a block, (1, for astereotype-plate, having its upper surface formed of two parallel planesjoined together by a shoulder, 0, which forms with said planes anglesless than right angles, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

\VILLIAM THOS. SMITH.

Witnesses:

JOHN G. lVIEWBURN, GEORGE G. BACON.

